Mets third baseman David Wright had to be removed from the game in the tenth inning of tonight’s game against the Royals after beating out an infield single. About three quarters of the way down the line, Wright grabbed at the back of his leg and limped his way through the bag. Pitcher Zack Wheeler was brought in to pinch-run.

ESPN’s Adam Rubin says that Wright had been dealing with a cramp in the same area, apparently minimal enough to play through it.

Mets kept saying Wright had a cramp and he could play through it. Clearly it's more than a cramp. And Wright leaving game.

In the event Wright needs a stint on the disabled list, Rubin suggests the Mets can use Justin Turner or Josh Satin at third base, or they can call up Zach Lutz. Lutz is enjoying a fine season with Triple-A Las Vegas, posting an .849 OPS.

As strange as it sounds, Wright has flown under the radar as an NL MVP candidate. He ranks second in Wins Above Replacement per FanGraphs (5.5) and third per Baseball Reference (5.4). After tonight’s game, his slash line stands at .309/.391/.512.